In the world of drag racing LS Chevrolets, there’s simply no bigger event than the Chevrolet Performance LSX Shootout. Once a year, the fastest LSX-powered drag racers from around the country descend on the famed Lucas Oil Raceway at the end of a long LSX Challenge Series.

So if you’re a purebred LSX gearhead, there’s no better place to be than Indianapolis from October 10 through 13. The Chevrolet Performance LSX

Shootout is only getting bigger every year, and the racers only quicker. With that in mind, we figured we’d give you a review of what’s been going on in the LSX Challenge Series leading up to the Shootout, a look at what to expect when you go, and a look at the parts from Chevrolet Performance that can get you in the winner’s circle.

A Recap: 2013 LSX Challenge Series

Made up of five classes, the LSX Challenge is a unique drag racing series in that it is open only to LSX-powered drag cars. Run under the National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) umbrella, the LSX Challenge Series is a set of four events run through the calendar, comprised of five classes: LSX Drag Radial, LSX Real Street, LSX All Motor, LSX Rumble, and 5th Gen Camaro Challenge. Chevrolet Performance has been there from the very beginning, pairing up with ProMedia Events (the company in charge of the NMCA) to create this awesome series. “The future of drag racing is the LSX platform,” says Steve Wolcott, CEO of ProMedia LLC adding that the NMCA is happy to give racers a place to showcase these amazing cars.

The 2013 season has been an interesting one, to say the least. Weather has played a huge role in the outcome of the races so far, with extreme heat and rain creating difficult conditions on the track, according to Justin Cesler of Driveline Studios, who has been

following the series for the LSX Racing Facebook page. But despite less-than-ideal racing conditions — the event in Atlanta alone saw oppressive heat give way to the previously mentioned race-ending rain — the racing has still been great. Several classes have been seeing the top two qualifiers line up against each other in the final elimination rounds. To give you a hint at how close the racing is, before the Chevy High Performance (All-GM) Nationals were called short, Drag Radial points leaders Mike Brown and Anthony Manna were separated by .011 second going into round 1, and they will be seeing each other in the final round in Indy.

And the times are only getting faster throughout the year. Several of the Drag Radial cars are already running over 200 mph in the high 6-second range, and once the year-end setups make their way to the strip, it can only mean even faster times and more exciting racing at the Shootout. Brown, along with teammate Mark Koehler, have new twin-turbo setups that debuted at the Holley LS Fest in Bowling Green, KY, which propelled the two to 7.074 at 209.04 mph and 7.078 at 208.94 mph times, respectively.

Kevin Rounsavall is making waves in the Real Street Class, taking a win at the event in Bowling Green, with an 8.44 at 162.74 mph, and a setup that is getting faster each race. He took that setup to the finals in Atlanta, meaning he can put himself in the chase for the lead at the makeup round in Indianapolis, just in time for the championships. That is, if defending champion Adam Preston doesn’t keep running at the top of the pack, as he’s prone to do, and run away with it himself.

THE MAIN EVENT: CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE LSX SHOOTOUT

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With all of this buildup, there’s a lot to look forward to at this year’s Chevrolet Performance LSX Shootout. As always, it will take place at the historic Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, a city that is extremely welcoming to the motorsports community. The event is the most established and biggest LSX-only racing event in the country, a fact we at Chevrolet Performance are extremely proud of, since we have been the co-creator since the first event in 2006.

The festivities kick off Thursday night with the always-popular LSX Racer Appreciation celebration. The event starts the weekend off right with a massive barbecue, open to all racers, with many industry experts in attendance.

Friday events include the Test and Tune Session, which allows all participants a chance to get their cars dialed in before it’s showtime. Qualifying also starts Friday, with the first rounds setting the stage.

Saturday continues the action with the remainder of the qualifying rounds and the LSX True Street Class, one of the more exciting classes of the weekend. This beginner-friendly class requires the entrants to prove that their car is registered and insured to enter. Then the cars all go on a 30-mile cruise around the racetrack. After the cruise, the cars come back to the track and make three passes, the times of which are averaged.

What makes the class so cool and friendly to beginners is the fact that reaction times aren’t factored into the time; ETs are all that matter. A fastest overall award is given, as well as awards for drivers whose average times come closest to the nine-, 10-, 11-, 12-, 13-, 14-, and 15- second marks without going quicker. So even if you aren’t the absolute quickest on the strip, there’s still an opportunity for you to participate and take home some hardware.

Finally Sunday is when it all counts, with the final rounds being run and the champions being crowned. And as a little extra incentive, each class winner will go home with a brand-new LSX block provided by Chevrolet Performance and our friends at Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center.

So we’ll see you in Indianapolis on October 10. It’s sure to be another great event. Of course if you can’t make it out, you can be sure to find all the coverage you’ll want and need at The BLOCK.

STAKE YOUR CLAIM: LSX PARTS TO GET YOU IN THE RUNNING

If you’re not content with just sitting on the sidelines at the Chevrolet Performance LSX Shootout and want to get out on the strip yourself, you better start building. And of course, there’s no better place to get all of your LSX gear than from Chevrolet Performance. In order to help you get prepared, we’ve put together a list of some of our best parts to use to make some waves at the strip.

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If you want the absolute best starting chance to take home some hardware, look no further than the 454R. It’s the most powerful crate engine we’ve ever offered. Its 13.1:1 compression ratio and solid-roller setup makes it perfectly suited for a drag racing environment. Our LSX Bowtie block with the LSX DR aluminum heads offers incredible airflow, while the open-plenum intake manifold and Dominator-style carburetor combine to produce an astonishing 770 horsepower at 7000 rpm, and 612 lb-ft of torque at 5600 rpm. And that’s just in as-delivered form. Imagine what power you could get out of it.

THE BLOCK THAT STARTED IT ALL — LSX BOWTIE BLOCK (P/N 19260093)

There’s simply no better foundation for drag racing than our LSX Bowtie block. This iron-block casting can be run just as it comes, or has the provisions built in for extra machining to make it an absolute monster. Extra-thick bores and deck mean it is set up to handle up to 482 cubic inches of displacement. Or leave the bores thicker and utilize the six-bolt configuration to crank down the cylinder heads and force an incredible amount of boost into the combustion chambers. No matter what class you’re looking to dominate, the LSX Bowtie block can be adapted to run whatever setup you wish.

GET A HEAD START — LSX DR HEADS (P/N 19166979)

These are the same heads that come installed on the LSX 454R. These 11-degree, six-bolt aluminum heads offer an incredible amount of airflow and can be bolted to the LSX Bowtie block to support force-fed applications. With the “DR” standing for Drag Racing, these heads are built for high-stress situations from the start and require racing-style shaft mount rocker systems.

And if you need a little added incentive to get out there and race yourself, Chevrolet Performance has developed a contingency program with the NMCA that will pay you money if you make the podium while running Chevy Performance parts. The specific parts that are sponsored in the program vary by class, but if you run an engine block, cylinder heads, intake manifold, camshaft, or crate engine from Chevrolet Performance, you could be entitled to the payouts below.

Unless specifically noted to the contrary herein, vehicles equipped with Chevrolet Performance Parts may not meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and emissions regulations and should not be operated on public roads. Chevrolet Performance customers are responsible for ensuring their use of Chevrolet Performance complies with applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and ordinances. Many parts intended for racing or other “off-highway” use are not designed or tested for crashworthiness or to meet the safety needs of the motoring public, and may adversely affect the original intended performance or handling characteristics of the vehicle. These parts are designed and intended to be used with experts supervising their installation and use, to help assure the proper and safe operation of the vehicle.

Destination Freight Charges

To allow you to do an accurate price comparison with prices featured on other Internet sites, GM provides Internet pricing both with and without the Destination Freight Charge (see prices including Destination Freight Charge below). To get full pricing details, go to our Build Your Own section.